Stanley Bridge roundabout covered in skid marks

P.E.I.'s newest roundabout, the one in Stanley Bridge, is getting great marks, but not the kind the province would like: it's already covered in skid marks, thanks to some over-enthusiastic drivers who like to burn a little rubber.

"That's kids with big engines and big cars that like to come out here and burn their tires," laughed area resident Jim Andrew. "And you can see the smoke flying out of here on lots of nights."

It's easy to see why it's become a favourite drag strip. There's a big yellow circle in the centre that looks like a bullseye for drivers who like doing donuts.

Construction on the roundabout finished in September, and it was quite different from most traffic circles on P.E.I.: there are no concrete curbs on the outside, and in the middle there is no raised surface, just a yellow circle painted on.

Centre circle for trucks only

The province designed it that way for easy passage of tractors and big trucks, the only vehicles they say should be crossing the centre.

"The concept design of the mini-roundabout is that larger vehicles, the front of the vehicles drive around the circle and the trailing wheels or the trailing portion of the vehicles will go through the yellow centre portion of the roundabout," said Stephen Yeo, chief engineer with the P.E.I. Highway Division.

The roundabout design is getting good grades locally.

As one of the gateways to Cavendish and the north shore, Stanley Bridge gets 10,000 cars passing through every day in the summer.

Matthew Jelley, the community chair for the Resort Municipality of Cavendish, said the roundabout has already improved safety.

"This intersection before, there wasn't any lighting," he said. "There's now a significant amount of lighting here at night and I think that will especially pay dividends through the winter now and that as it gets darker earlier.

"It was built during the off season. When the full tourist season arrives it will be put to the full test as to how people adjust and how they navigate it."

Much cheaper to build

It's a cheaper version of roundabouts as well, costing just $200,000 to build, a million dollars less than most others built by the province.

A similar one was built this fall in Baldwin Road, and there are plans for a third in the west of the province.

Stanley Bridge is the only trouble spot.

"Next spring we will probably put a new coat of the centre island paint on it for pavement marking and hopefully people will learn not to drive on those," said Yeo.

Winter should take care of the stunt driving in the meantime.